Role Models for Future Generations

Linden Loren

Do you consider yourself an excellent example for future generations of hunters?

This is a question I’ve been asking myself since the birth of my first child. It’s also a question that, if we ask ourselves honestly and with full accountability, can expose layers and areas we haven’t thought about. At least, that is how I have felt by taking some time for sincere reflection. By uncovering the causes of our ignorance, we can identify what we need to do differently and follow it with actionable measures. I want to be a role model that future generations need, and you should, too.

If there were a time when the next generation needed role models to look up to, it would be right now. Individuals who are putting in the effort to set up future generations for success not only in the field but also in life. Whether it’s your children, nephews, nieces, cousins, or youth to whom you have exposure, being a role model in the hunting community means there are standards we should set for ourselves.

Much like parenting, there are many ways to be a good example for the next generation. There are more approaches than one right approach. For example, there are many great concepts we can introduce and educate the next generation on, like respecting wildlife, habitats, and nature, firearm safety, navigating with and without mapping systems, adherence to legal regulations, making sure the environment is clean by picking up trash, respecting the wild game pursued, the importance of community, educating ourselves on the anatomy of the animal, completing the best shot we can that includes a short expiration with less suffering, being grateful and expressing thanks for the harvest that will result in high-quality meat, making the most of its resources as much as we can (meat, organs, bones, fat, etc.), being aware of the cultural heritage in the area we are hunting, respecting fellow hunters, their camps, and their knowledge, making sure we are prepared both physically and mentally to respect guides and outfitters. All these topics are necessary and excellent for the next generation to learn from us adults who aim to be good role models. Is one topic more important than the other? I don’t think so. They all provide unique insights that can mold a young individual into someone who will be a genuine steward and leader in preserving this lifestyle for years to come—exactly what we need.

What matters is positively influencing these young people who will advocate for this lifestyle, lead conservation-based initiatives, and stand up for everything we believe in long after we are gone. Hopefully, with years of mentoring and witnessing good role models in the outdoor space, they can live life feeling capable, self-sufficient, resilient, and embodying specific character traits that enable them to be good-quality individuals.

What do you think the ideal hunter looks like as a role model for future generations? While you think about it, I want to share three grossly underrated concepts.

Off-Season

One of the most effective things we can do as mentors and role models for the next generation is consistently developing healthy lifestyle habits and self-care strategies. You were expecting a different answer. If we don’t care for ourselves through healthy lifestyle choices, we won’t exist. If we don’t exist, we can’t be a role model for future generations, right? So, yes, doing things during the off-season, like stretching and exercising regularly, sleeping well, eating good quality foods, drinking less alcohol, snacking less, reading books, and so on, will put us in a better position to not only feel better physically and mentally but also allow us to remain in their lives longer and continue to be positive role models who can inspire, educate, and mentor. Throw those excuses in the trash and make these things a priority.

Part of this equation of improving our health and well-being also requires us to pass the knowledge on to the next generation to set them up for success. When they witness that you are living a certain way in favor of health, there is a better chance they will consider adopting healthy lifestyle choices, especially if you make it seem normal, like brushing your teeth daily. By paying it forward and educating the next generation of hunters on the importance of prioritizing self-care strategies, they will learn that better health enables them to spend more time doing what they love—like being outdoors and hunting, spending more time with friends and family, and most importantly they will experience live through a better lens physically and mentally. This is how we start saving thousands of young individuals in a mentally tough spot in life. The next generation of hunters needs healthy role models. Are you one of them?

Another component during the off-season that needs our attention is maintaining balance in our home lives—more specifically, the significant relationships we have with others and their quality. No matter if you are a parent or guardian who is dating, in courtship, married, just friends, or anything else you can think of, it is vital to understand that what the next generation sees, hears, and experiences can influence how they act, behave, and live as they age. Cultivating a home life that has a positive environment is how we reduce the staggeringly high rates of physical and verbal domestic abuse.

The environment our youth are surrounded by significantly impacts them not only during the moment but also in the future more than we will ever know. When they return to a negative home life, filled with fear and bad experiences, it can mold them into someone who adopts these traits and expresses them throughout their life—aka tradition. We must break tradition by continually asking our significant other how we can be a better teammate. Working in the k-12 system and now at a university, I see far too many students who must return to a home filled with unpredictable parental arguments, yelling, stressful environments, and a place that they dread. If you have fallen prey to this way of living, it’s not too late to make a change, be accountable for your actions, and be a better person and role model the next generation needs to see.

Challenge yourself to find ways to communicate more effectively, be faithful, put more effort in, and actively prioritize the relationship to keep it thriving, just like a plant. You don’t water a plant once, and then it keeps growing. You must keep watering it—forever. This will ensure their home lives are a good example of what’s possible, a safe place where they feel comfortable, and an environment where they can grow into better-quality people. Are you brave enough to meet that standard?

Online Social Apps

It’s not just the next generation that has the tech and is active on mainstream social apps; it’s also us adults. Being on social apps and being able to post and comment on anything we want is a unique freedom. With this form of freedom, though, one of the facets we need to monitor to ensure we set an excellent example for future generations is how we communicate with others, like responding to criticism. If you are active on these social apps, you can relate to the idea that individuals criticizing us for what we do because of their beliefs come with this hunting lifestyle.

The thing with online critics and our response to them is that it tells a lot about us. Do you try to belittle others? Do you offer advice or perspective or try to educate? Ultimately, it’s important to remind ourselves that just because someone criticizes us online doesn’t mean we must let them take our energy and completely derail how we operate. It might be easy to respond to these critics with a typed message to break their spirit, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only course of action. When we reply to online critics by trying to belittle or make fun of them, we take a step closer to becoming someone who loses sight of who they are, which is precisely what the critic wants—remember, youth are always watching.

No matter if they are writing negative remarks on our online profile about the type of camo we wear, how we bugle, how we physically prepare, the kind of pack we have, the size of wild game we have harvested, etc. Critics sometimes want us to invest our energy and time in a retaliating reaction and response to their comment—it’s a trick. Our ability to reason and use logic is hampered when we respond to them out of unpleasant emotions. Do you think the next generation should respond that way?

If you must respond, consider being neutral or something else. Offer the critic a new perspective, educate them, or wish them the best. Maybe the criticism happened to be constructive feedback that can improve your position. Reach out and thank them for it if this is the case. Perhaps the comment indicated a threat to you or your family. Make the best decision you can, depending on the situation’s specifics and seriousness. In general, keeping our composure when we hear comments from individuals trying to divert us off our path sets a beautiful example for the next generation as they will also experience these moments in life.

To clarify, we don’t need to back down and surrender from the individuals or organizations always aiming to bring down hunting and what it stands for. It means being composed and disciplined with our responses to achieve what we want without succumbing to wasting our mental energy and showcasing someone who we are not in front of the many young eyes watching. All of this is possible with personal experience, which means others can find success in going down this route as well. Striving to uphold your character to a high standard online is the right thing to do and what future generations need to see more of.

Non-Profit Involvement

As the digital age advances, one aspect of it has been a safeguard for preserving this lifestyle, and that’s the non-profits who have been able to gain access to large groups of hunters to ask for support in policy and support. Organizations like Howl for Wildlife have given the hunting community real hope. Considering this, it is imperative that every adult hunter not only gets involved with a non-profit of their choice but, more importantly, starts having crucial conversations with the next generation about why it’s essential to get involved with conservation efforts in some capacity.

Sure, age matters for what we can disclose to youth and what they can comprehend. Still, there are unique moments, even when they are younger, where although they might not understand the idea of conservation efforts, they can pick up on small fundamental concepts related to conservation. For example, the other day, my three-year-old son, and I were in the backyard looking at the timber and brush behind our house. I was kneeling to get closer to his level when I told him, “I want to tell you something, son. See that empty plastic water bottle in the grass by the oak tree? Yes, he answered. We need to ensure we pick up trash when it’s in nature. It can hurt animals. We need to protect the birds, squirrels, and bugs. Do you understand me? He then runs over to grab it and places it in the trash.”

Organic, unplanned conversations can build upon the mental framework they develop as they age. There are many opportunities to simplify communicable pieces of conservation and non-profit work that you can insert into various conversations. With every little conversation comes more growth and expansion. Youth can remember things depending on how you frame and convey them. I remember learning the importance of eating what I harvest from my father when I was six, which has stuck with me to this day.

Call to Action

I can’t speak for the entire hunting community, but as an individual exposed at a young age to this meaningful lifestyle, I want to give back as much as I can to what has given so much to me. One of the best ways to do that is to be a good example and role model for future generations. I challenge you to self-reflect and look into your life to find opportunities to be a better steward in this community and a better-quality person.

Every day is an opportunity to serve as the role model the next generation needs to set them up for success in the field and life. Do you have what it takes to meet the new standard?

For more great reads from Linden Loren check out his new book “Your Hunting Healthspan”

Available Here!

Your Hunting Healthspan